Moorestown High School
Moorestown High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Moorestown in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary school of the Moorestown Township Public Schools. Moorestown High School was established in 1904 and recently completed a $12.9 million renovation and addition project, providing a modern, state-of-the-art facility.
As of the 2018–19 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,293 students and 113.1 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.4:1. There were 85 students eligible for free lunch and 24 eligible for reduced-cost lunch.
Moorestown High School was involved in the 2003 lawsuit Hornstine v. Moorestown, which involved school policies to prevent a student from becoming valedictorian because of her Individualized Education Program.
Awards, recognition and rankings
For the 1999-2000 school year, Moorestown High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive.The school was the 14th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 27th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 39th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. Moorestown High School is by far the highest ranked school in Burlington County. The magazine ranked the school 47th in 2008 out of 316 schools. Schooldigger.com ranked the school tied for 93rd out of 381 public high schools statewide in its 2011 rankings which were based on the combined percentage of students classified as proficient or above proficient on the mathematics and language arts literacy components of the High School Proficiency Assessment.
In its 2013 report on "America's Best High Schools", The Daily Beast ranked the school 474th in the nation among participating public high schools and 40th among schools in New Jersey.
In its listing of "America's Best High Schools 2016", the school was ranked 112th out of 500 best high schools in the country; it was ranked 21st among all high schools in New Jersey and eighth among the state's non-magnet schools.
At Moorestown High School, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement courses and exams. About 50% of students on average take this opportunity and take AP courses. 48% of students are male and 52% are female. The student: teacher ratio is 12:1. It is currently unranked in the National Rankings. When it comes to student proficiency, they score 37% for math. Moorestown High School students also score 50% on reading. The graduation rate is 98%. However, when it comes to college readiness, it only scores a 45.5%. It is classified as a large suburban setting school.
Athletics
The Moorestown High School Quakers compete in the Burlington County Scholastic League, which operates under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and consists of public and non-public high schools covering Burlington County, Mercer County and Ocean County in central New Jersey. With 1,009 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2015-16 school year as Central Jersey, Group III for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 822 to 1,068 students in that grade range. The football team competes in the Royal Division of the 95-team West Jersey Football League superconference and was classified by the NJSIAA as South Jersey Group IV for football for 2017-18.Moorestown High School's record of athletic achievement includes 19 state championships in boys swimming and 15 state championships in field hockey. From 2000 through 2009, the girls' lacrosse team won 10 consecutive state championships.
The NJSIAA ranks New Jersey's high school athletic programs every academic year based on their performances in various sports across athletic seasons. Among all of the state's Group III programs, MHS was ranked 2nd in 2006, 2nd in 2007 and was the Group III winner in 2008, with performances that included first-place finishes that season in football, both boys and girls lacrosse, and boys tennis.
Sports Legends of Moorestown was presented by the Historical Society of Moorestown at the Smith-Cadbury Mansion until the end of June 2010. More than 60 athletes, most of whom are MHS alumni, representing 14 sports were featured.
Bea Thomas, a coaching institution at MHS in field hockey, girls lacrosse and girls swimming, has been featured in The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
Athletics is a very large part of any high school. Student-athletes have been shown to be some of the most successful and dedicated students. Sports are taken seriously at Moorestown High School. Their teams are very capable of being up for a challenge. The swim teams have been very successful this season and have yet to lose. The football and field hockey team are very good as well and both won their last games. The Moorestown High School Unified Basketball Team won a Gold Medal at the Special Olympics 2018 USA Games in Seattle. The Moorestown High School Unified Basketball Team beat Ohio 27-18 to win the Special Olympics 2018 USA Games. They beat five teams in a matter of four days to win it all. They had also won their first state championship title earlier this year. The girl's soccer team has also put up quite a fight. They went to state championships again this year for the fifth time. They lost 1-0 after playing an amazing game.
Baseball
- Kevin Kirkby was inducted into the Saint Joseph's University Baseball Hall of Fame. Kirkby was named as a 3rd-team All-American in 2001; 1st team Academic All-American in 2000 and 2001; and holds 14 season or career school records.
Basketball
- In 1958, the boys varsity basketball team was undefeated, 22-0, and won the Group III state championship.
- In 1959, the team was undefeated, 22-0, and won the Group III state championship. The team played three memorable games in March, defeating a championship team from Philadelphia's Overbrook High School that was led by future NBA players Wali Jones and Walt Hazzard, beat Central Jersey champion Freehold by a score of 102 - 50 before a crowd of 5,000 at Camden's Convention Hall, and earned its second consecutive State Group III championship by defeating North Jersey champion Englewood, 76 - 61, before a capacity crowd of many thousands of cheering Quaker fans at Rutgers University. In a game that season against Hamilton High School, Ed Douglas scored 84 points.
- Bob Meredith, Ed Douglas, Dave Robinson,, Leroy Peacock and coach Pete Monska have been inducted into the South Jersey Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bowling
Cross country
- In 2001, the girls team was ranked #1 in New Jersey and top 25 nationally. The team won the South Jersey Group III championship and had the fastest time for a team in Burlington County that season, in addition to runners participating in the Penn Relays and the Foot Locker National Meet.
- In 2010, the girls team, despite having their streak of 145 consecutive dual meet victories broken with their first loss since 1998, won its 14th consecutive league championship, captured the South Jersey Group III championship, and competed in the New Jersey Meet of Champions.
Field hockey
- The varsity field hockey team has won 16 state championships.
- In 2003, the field hockey team won the State Group III championship with a 1-0 win over Kingsway Regional High School in the semifinals and a 2-1 win against Warren Hills High School in the tournament's final match.
- In 2004, the team repeated as the State Group III champion, defeating Mount Olive High School in the tournament final.
- In 2007, the team won the Central Jersey Group III championship with a 3-0 win over Wall High School in the tournament final.
- Meredith Elwell was named to the 1998 NCAA Division I field hockey All-America team.
- Amy Lewis was named to the 2008 NCAA Division I field hockey All-America team.
Football
In 1957, the varsity football team went undefeated, 9-0, and was awarded the South Jersey Group III championship. Since the start of the playoff era in 1974, the team won the South Jersey Group III championship in 1975 and the South Jersey Group II championship in 2000. In 2007, the team went undefeated, 12-0, and won the Central Jersey Group III championship by defeating Long Branch High School, 20-6.
Ice hockey
- In 2009 and 2010, the MHS "Quakers" won the South Jersey High School Ice Hockey League championship.
Lacrosse
Sean DeLaney was named to the 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division I lacrosse All-America team and is a member of the Denver Outlaws.
The girls' varsity lacrosse team has won 21 state championships, the most of any school in the state and more than the next four programs combined; the team has won the Tournament of Champions in six of eight years since the NJSIAA instituted the final tournament in 2007. From 1999 to 2010, the team accomplished an unprecedented level of achievement, including: A streak of 228 consecutive wins against New Jersey teams; a record of 270 wins and 12 losses versus all teams, including in-state and out-of-state powers; and 10 consecutive Tournament of Champions titles, emblematic of the state's top team.
Mary McCarthy Stefano was named to the 1985, 1986 and 1987 NCAA Division I lacrosse All-America first team and the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Jessica Champion was named to the 2007 NCAA Division I lacrosse All-America team; Margie Curran to the 2007 and 2008 team; Cara Giordano to the 2009 team; and Brooke Cantwell to the 2010 team.
Rowing
- In 2008, the boys lightweight-8 rowing team placed second at the Stotesbury Cup, the nation's biggest regatta.
- In 2009, the team placed first, beating Saint Joseph's Preparatory School by.04 seconds.
- In 2009, the girls JV-8 won third place at Stotesbury Regatta. They were the first girls boat from Moorestown Rowing Club to make it to the finals and win a medal at Stotesbury.
Soccer
- The girls' varsity team, under the coaching of Glenn Porter, won two state championships and for a month were ranked by USA Today as the number one team in the country.
- In 2007, the girls team won the South Jersey Group III championship, its third sectional title in four years, with a 2-1 win over Clearview Regional High School.
- Championships:
- *League championships- 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
- *South Jersey championships- 1994, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007
- *State championships- 1994, 1995, 2004 and 2005
Swimming
- The boys varsity swimming team has won 20 state championships.
- In 2007, the boys team won the Central Jerey B championship by defeating Ocean Township High School, 120-50.
- The boys swim team won the Public B state championships in 2014 against Princeton High School by a score of 87-83. the victory marked the program's 19th state championship and its first since 1999. In 2015, the team won its second consecutive Public B title with a 94-76 win against Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in the tournament final.
Tennis
- The boys' tennis team has won 13 state titles, the third-most of any public high school, winning the Group III title in 1978, 1981, 2004, 2007 and 2008 and 2013, and in Group II in 1985, 1987, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.
- In 2001, the boys team won the South Jersey Group II championship with a 3-2 win over Haddonfield Memorial High School.
- In 2007, the boys team won the Central Jersey Group III championship with a series of 5-0 wins over Lawrence High School, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, and Princeton High School in the tournament final. Then the team won the State Group III Championship with a 3-2 win over Millburn High School. The team advanced to the Tournament of Champions where they lost in the semifinal round to Newark Academy.
- In 2007, the girls team won the South Jersey Group III championship with a 5-0 win over Seneca High School.
- William Kingston, coach of the girls team for 29 years, compiled a 694-75 record.
Track and field
- In 2010, the boys relay team ran a 4x100 meter race in 42.31 seconds, setting a MHS record and finishing in second place at the New Jersey Meet of Champions. The relay team also ran in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, the high school national track championship meet.
- In 2007, the girls track and field team was undefeated and won the Liberty Division championship.
- Anna Heim set NCAA Division III records for the indoor and outdoor pole vault and was named to the 2010 Division III indoor track and field All-America team.
Volleyball
- The girls team won the conference for eight consecutive seasons.
- In 2006, the team broke state records with 34 wins and consecutive wins, and ended the season 34-1, losing in the Group III state semifinals to Williamstown High School.
Administration
Notable alumni
- Diane Allen, represents the 7th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.
- Francis L. Bodine, represents the 8th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.
- T. J. Brennan, defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL.
- Joe Burk, world-class sculler and recipient of the Bronze Star, Silver Star and Navy Cross.
- Bryan Burnham, football player for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
- Dereck Faulkner, football wide receiver who is currently a free agent.
- Walter French, Army football All-America, halfback for the 1925 Pottsville Maroons and outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1929 World series.
- Blair Hornstine who, in 2003, successfully sued to block a proposed change in school district policy. Under the pre-existing policy she would have been named sole valedictorian at Moorestown High School.
- Matt Langel, head coach for the Colgate Raiders men's basketball team.
- Al LeConey, gold medal winner in the 4x100 meter relay race at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
- Brendan O'Connor, recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic action in Afghanistan.
- Christine O'Donnell, Republican candidate in Delaware's 2010 United States Senate special election.
- Harrison Rieger, professional basketball player for Halcones de Sonzacate of the Liga Superior de Baloncesto de El Salvador.
- Dave Robinson, Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee and a former football player for Penn State University, the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins.
- Lauren Schmetterling, rower who won a total of three gold medals in the Women's eight competition at the 2013 World Rowing Championships, the 2015 World Rowing Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
- Scott Terry, songwriter and singer who has fronted the band Red Wanting Blue.
- Albert Young, former football player for the University of Iowa and Minnesota Vikings.